This application relates to a process for preparing long chain alkyl aromatic compounds by alkylating an aromatic compound with a relatively long chain alkylating agent employing a layered material as alkylation catalyst.
The alkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons with an olefin in the presence of a zeolite having uniform pore openings of from about 6 to about 15 Angstrom units is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,904,607. U.S. Pat. No. 3,251,897 describes the alkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons in the presence of X- or Y-type zeolites, specifically such type zeolites wherein the cation is a rare earth metal species and/or hydrogen. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,751,504 and 3,751,506 describe the vapor phase alkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons with olefins, e.g., benzene with ethylene, in the presence of a ZSM-5 type zeolite catalyst.
U.S. Pat Nos. 3,631,120 and 3,641,177 describe a liquid phase process for the alkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons with olefins in the presence of certain zeolites.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,301,316 and 4,301,317 disclose the use of such zeolites as ZSM-4, ZSM-20, ZSM-38, mazzite, Linde Type L and zeolite Beta to catalyze the alkylation of benzene with relatively long chain olefins to produce long chain alkylbenzenes.
Alkylation reactions may be carried out using well-known Friedel-Crafts catalysts such as AlC.sub.3, AlBr.sub.3, FeCl.sub.3, SnCl.sub.4, BF.sub.3, ZnCl.sub.2, HF, H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,035,308; 4,691,068; 3,173,965 and 4,148,834. These Friedel-Crafts alkylation processes normally require additional processing steps including filtration, neutralization and washing to remove the catalyst.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,604,491 and 4,714,794, the entire disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference, suggest that alkylated naphthalenes containing certain long chain alkyl groups are useful as base stocks for various synthetic lubricating oil compositions.